Author
Topic: Ricotta - I need help (Read 7509 times)

I've been to a couple places recently where they put ricotta on a pie and it melted smooth as silk. When I put ricotta on a pie, it just sits there and has the texture of fine cottage cheese. I tried whole milk. I tried straining it. What am I doing wrong? How do I get it to melt smooth???

I've been to a couple places recently where they put ricotta on a pie and it melted smooth as silk. When I put ricotta on a pie, it just sits there and has the texture of fine cottage cheese. I tried whole milk. I tried straining it. What am I doing wrong? How do I get it to melt smooth???

I've been to a couple places recently where they put ricotta on a pie and it melted smooth as silk. When I put ricotta on a pie, it just sits there and has the texture of fine cottage cheese. I tried whole milk. I tried straining it. What am I doing wrong? How do I get it to melt smooth???

Craig - Do you have access to hand dipped ricotta from a small producer? That does make a difference in the final product for me.

The Calabro hand dip ricotta is amazing. It has that melting characteristic you are looking for http://accardifoods.com/documents/6Cheese.pdf. It comes in a metal wrapped tin. The Calabro ricotta that comes in those cream cheese like containers isn't the same stuff.

The Calabro hand dip ricotta is amazing. It has that melting characteristic you are looking for http://accardifoods.com/documents/6Cheese.pdf. It comes in a metal wrapped tin. The Calabro ricotta that comes in those cream cheese like containers aren't the same stuff.

I tried some of the calabro hand dipped ricotta recently, that stuff is incredible.

This is what I buy, and even save the metal cans for use when I make my own every year or so. It is truly amazing. I can buy it at my local Stop and Shop anytime, as they stock all Calabro products, which are from Connecticut.

I made ricotta myself last weekend, and it was sooooo smoootthhh (and unbelievably easy). You gotta try and just make the stuff yourself. I don't know that it will melt better (I'm guessing it would) but it was without the graininess of most store bought stuff. I used Ina Garten's recipe from Food Network. Again, ridiculously easy.... I shared it with friends (plain cracker, dollop of ricotta, 1/2 dollop of jam) and they were all amazes. I even screwed it up... halved the recipe, but not the sale and it still came out good. I'm hoping I can incorporate it into a white sauce of some sort. Curious what other ingredients your topping your pie along with the ricotta?

I made ricotta myself last weekend, and it was sooooo smoootthhh (and unbelievably easy). You gotta try and just make the stuff yourself. I don't know that it will melt better (I'm guessing it would) but it was without the graininess of most store bought stuff. I used Ina Garten's recipe from Food Network. Again, ridiculously easy.... I shared it with friends (plain cracker, dollop of ricotta, 1/2 dollop of jam) and they were all amazes. I even screwed it up... halved the recipe, but not the sale and it still came out good. I'm hoping I can incorporate it into a white sauce of some sort. Curious what other ingredients your topping your pie along with the ricotta?

That is the consistency of the nonfat Calabro ricotta (which for what it is.... is really good but not for your excellent looking pizzas).

The first ingredient in that cheese is cows milk whey -- that is the liquid left over after making cheese - you can make ricotta with it but it's not going to be as creamy as a ricotta made with just milk. The best stuff in the milk became the cheese before the ricotta. You will want to look for a cheese that is milk , starter and possibly salt.

I just did a little searching and I can't back up my statement above but I have made ricotta from whey and from whole milk and there is a difference in the consistency of the cheese.